Adventures Through Emerald Eyes (AEL Series 1)
by Epic Awaken
Summary: AU. Following the events of Sonic X, Amy Rose sets out to become more adventurous, to experience the life of her blue-blurred soul mate, and unlock the secrets of his free-spirited heart. What they both find are deep feelings, buried inside but held true, and the joy of life's race when it's shared between two.
1. Eyes on the Prize

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes (A.E.L. Series #1)**

by Epic Awaken

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

The following is a non-profit, fan-based production.

_Sonic X_, _Sonic the Hedgehog_, and all interrelated characters, settings, events, and notions from those series are the property of _Sega Enterprises, Inc._, _Nintendo Co., Ltd._,_ Sonic Team_, _TMS Entertainment_, _Saban Brand_s, unmentioned parties, and the original production team.

Please support the official release.

**xx**

******MUSH-WARNING!******

The following story is about passionate love, and thus contains a lot of "mush." Haters of heartfelt moments be warned...

**xx**

**Series Proclamation**

The following tale is classified by_ Epic Awaken Studios_ to be part of the_ Awaken Epic Love Series_ (_A.E.L. Series_) of romantic ships, consisting of pairings from popular media (tv shows, cartoons, movies, comics, books, etc.) that the author, _Epic Awaken_, believes were meant to happen.

* * *

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

by Epic Awaken

* * *

_The following is a story about life's epic ride, about the journey one takes on their way to the finish line. There's so much to see and so much to do, but the ride is much better, when shared between two. _

**Location: **Parallel Planet Earth (Mobius). AU _Sonic X_

**Time:** An undefined period following the events of the final episode of _Sonic X._

* * *

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

Prologue: The End of a Dream

"Soniiic!" the pink hedgehog called, shielding her eyes from the whiteness that enveloped them. Her body turned and twisted in the air, jolting to a halt as her hands absorbed the impact with a cold, violet earth. Blackness filled the sky, as the bright flash from the chaos control faded into distant memory. It was replaced by bolts of gold lightning that convulsed like dying snakes overhead. "Ah!" Amy squealed, rising to defend her eyes from a tumultuous whirlwind of maroon, alien gas. "Where is everything?" she uttered, peering through the whipping wall of soot. Emerald eyes grew double-wide as she made out the silhouette of a familiar companion, three trademark spikes on the back of his crown. "Sonic!" she cried, racing up to his side.

The blue hedgehog hunched over on his right knee, still clutching a piece of the leaf-colored gem. His lower jaw lay agape and his pupils shrank as the white-gloved fingers of his hand crept in ever tighter.

"Sonic?" Amy spoke. Bring on the hurricane around them, or lava, or an earthquake, or even a black hole like the view overhead. Nothing, in all of the cosmos, would've disturbed the pink hedgehog as much as seeing the expression of her carefree, blue beloved, as he sat before her now. "_He should never have to live to see his face look like that!_" she thought.

Curling the tips of his digits in, Sonic watched in horror as the olive fragment shattered into a million pieces, vaporizing into green dust in his palm.

"Ah!" Amy gasped.

Flickering with fire bolts, the blue hedgehog's eyes shot up to the horizon as his teeth locked into a snarl. "It was **never **a real emerald!"

"What!? But that doesn't make any sense!" the pink hedgehog exclaimed, shouting over the howls of the relentless, midnight mass of swirling smoke that encompassed them, "It hasn't moved this whole time!"

Sonic's emerald eyes narrowed as he gazed at the jade sand in his grip. "We haven't **either**..." he whispered, recalling what Tikal had said. The blue hedgehog's fingers contracted with care as he stood and launched the glittering powder away. "**None** of it's moved! We've just been running around in circles this whole time!" he growled, clenching both fists again. He wheeled left to face her, a firestorm of anger released in his veins. "**Everything**, from the very beginning, was just a distraction..."

The two hedgehog's jerked their heads towards the sky as a sharp crack of thunder erupted above. In the center of their gaze, an enormous ball of rotating pearl light began to throw out shards of electricity, hissing with bursts of jagged fury.

"Sonic, I'm scared!" Amy let out, biting her lower lip with a frown as she rushed up to latch onto his left arm. Her emerald orbs snapped open as the blue hedgehog turned and wrapped her up in a full hug, blanketing her from the wind. A part of Amy wanted to bury her head deep inside of Sonic's soft chest, but the other was firm, vowing to see the moments through with him until the very end.

"Don't worry, Amy," Sonic said, turning to gaze into her green pools of life. As he looked at her there, tucked up safe in his arms, the speed-busting hero couldn't help but smile, and he pulled her in just a little bit more, "I won't let them hurt you..."

An expanding deposit of moisture began to swell at the base of the pink hedgehog's eyes, and her lower lip began to tremble and shake. There was no denying a feeling like this. Despite all of the lies, life with him was simply pure bliss. "Sonic?" she uttered, releasing a sigh.

"Yeah, Amy?" he answered.

"I won't let them hurt **'us'**..." she declared. Her arms slid around him and she pulled him in tight.

* * *

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

Chapter 1: Eyes on the Prize

"Oh, come on!" the pink hedgehog huffed, allowing her lashes to fall as her body slumped forward, "You know that's not the real reason that I stayed here!" Her jade orbs darted briefly towards the lush, green grass, before drifting steadily off into the humid horizon. Over the sprawling canopy of dancing, emerald-capped trees, there were white birds, five of them, soaring high into the hills beyond, through the foggy, blue-tinted glow of far-away mountains.

"Well, maybe not," her long-eared friend replied, looking to the ground herself for a moment with the most minuscule of smirks, "but I can see why Sonic would like to live out here, too!"

The pink hedgehog's lips curved upward as she sat back against the wooden planks of her tan and black lawn-swing and sighed, briskly shutting both of her eyes. "Yes, Cream. There sure are a lot of wonderful woodland trails around here that Sonic likes to run on...though...he doesn't really like to stay in one place." Her lips and gaze suddenly dropped. Blinking, she swallowed and looked back to Cream. "I do still get to see him a lot here, though," she uttered, composing a meek smile.

Cream's amber-colored eyes shot around several times before they finally came to rest upon her spiky-haired friend. "Hmm...Do you think he'll ever..." she began, pausing to swallow, "settle down?"

Staring intently, the pink hedgehog frowned, "With who, **me**?" she asked, peering down. Her green orbs slid shut. "I don't know..." she started, rising up from the swing, "All I do know is that it just wouldn't be **right** for Sonic to ever settle down completely, not from running everywhere, not from seeing the world!" Emerald eyes shimmered with moisture as she gazed into the sky, right fist balled-up over her chest. "If he ever stopped running," she spoke, streams of thin tears escaping over her cheeks, "he wouldn't be the hedgehog that I **love** anymore! His kind heart and his free spirit are what keep me in a daydream and then keep me up at night!"

Cream smiled warmly at her friend, as the pink hedgehog's two hands clasped together and her mouth began to tremble.

"There's never been another like him before or since! He cares so much about everyone, about always doing the right thing! ...And then, what does he do with it, with all of his fame and glory? Once Sonic has saved the day and all of this world is again in peace, he runs off into the distance, just to get lost in the adventures of life!" Sniffling, she went on, "But I swear, to this day, that it isn't because of what he's done that I'm so madly and truly in love with him...it's because of who he **is**," she quivered. Her voice suddenly became very soft. "If the world were to turn its back on him today and accuse him of everything that's ever gone wrong on this planet, then I would still long for him, because...because I know just who he is...and I've never known anyone else who's made my heart yearn for their presence this much... He's the sweetest, most pure-hearted soul that I've ever met..."

"A-my," Cream let out, watching as her friend wiped away another tear with her right hand.

Amy returned to her seat next to the off-pearl rabbit on the lawn-swing. "I only wish that I could be as fast as him, Cream, even just for a day...so that we could do his adventures together," she said. The pink hedgehog slid the interior sides of her red and white boots together. "...And maybe so I'd be a little less boring."

"Amy!" The rabbit shot back, sitting up straight, "How could you say that!? You're not boring! You're amazing!"

With a shy chuckle, Amy replied, "Thanks, Cream. I knew you'd say that...but...the truth is, compared to Sonic, I'm just a pretty girl with a hammer..." Smiling, the pink hedgehog looked down. "Sure, I lose my temper sometimes, and I guess I'm alright against a couple of Eggman's robots, but-"

"Now that's enough!" the rabbit cut in, standing up on the swing's bench, "You have a heart of **gold** that is every bit as strong and as good and pure as Sonic's! And you **are** amazing! You can do things with that hammer and your temper and your bravery that are right up there with everything that blue hedgehog has done!" Shaking a finger at Amy, Cream went on, "And I think that the only reason Sonic hasn't expressly shown his **full** love for you is because you're just too clingy on him, Amy!"

Blinking, the pink hedgehog sat up. "'Clingy'? But I **love** him, Cream!"

"I know you do!" the rabbit replied, "But you'll have to tone it down a bit if you want him to really notice you, in my opinion. I'm not saying that you need to stop showing your affection completely, but you need to focus on yourself for a change and really let your beauty shine!" Cream smiled, "Show him why Amy Rose is someone he'd be the **luckiest** hedgehog in the world to be with!"

Peeking at her feet, Amy took a finger to her mouth. "Well, I guess I really haven't done a whole lot besides wearing a few pretty party dresses now and then. I mean, I've always kind of had a sense of adventure, but...maybe instead of just waiting for him to come by all of the time...I could...mix it up by having him hunt me down elsewhere." A flash of light ran across Amy's emerald-colored eyes. "And then maybe I'd become a little bit of a **mystery** to him! I could be something that he wants to **solve**, or **engage** in, maybe even someday become engaged **to** through **marriage**!" Amy beamed, cupping both hands together. A sea of floating, rose-colored hearts fluttered about within her mind. Green orbs sliding south once more, the pink hedgehog uttered, "I just have to make sure that whatever I do is true to myself as well. That way, when he likes it, it's still the real me!"

"But, Amy, he already does like you! And you **love** going on adventures!" Cream said.

Blushing slightly, Amy replied, "Yeah, I know. It's true. I do like adventures. It's...part of the reason I like Sonic so much...among a whole sea of other things...and I know he shared his feelings with me to an extent when he said that he'd never leave me...I still have that flower at my bedside." Frowning, she went on, "I just...never get to see him enough, and I...wish I could spend more time with him instead of waiting for days on end for his blue blur to return on the horizon...A girl needs more, you know?" Her smile returned. "Maybe this will get him interested."

"Oh, I just know it will!" Cream beamed.

With a nod, Amy replied. "You're right!" She stood from the swing, placing both fists on her hips and displaying a wide smirk. "Look out, Sonic! You're not the only adventure-prone hedgehog in this world anymore! It's time for Amy Rose to show you what a girl of my kind can **really** do!"

* * *

_**Oh, Amy! We could all learn a thing or two from your undying affection and sheer determination! But will it pay off? Only one way to find out...STAY TUNED, Folks!**_

**xx**

**Please feel free to message me with all of your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns via PM or my email!**

******STAY TUNED for Chapter 2: _Hammer Time! _****...Coming SOON! ****_(Progress updates on my profile!)_**

**- Epic Awaken**

_**"Awaken Your Epic Dreams"**_


	2. Hammer Time!

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

Chapter 2: Hammer Time!

"Hiii-ya!" Amy yelled, glaring intently into the blood-colored path of her Piko Piko Hammer as it exploded through the side of another heartless foe. Hundreds of jagged, blue-gray fragments filled the air as they flew around the pink hedgehog's head. Red and white tennis shoes hit the ground, as Amy's right-leg went out and her body sank low, sliding across a patch of dirt in an orange cloud of dust. She was dressed in black, spandex shorts and a crimson tank top, along with her trademark golden bracelets and scarlet headband.

The sound of earth-filled rain rang in the sky, as particles of rock and debris came sprinkling down. With her right hand on the club, slung over her shoulder, and the left balancing her body against the land, Amy let out a shallow breath, eyeing up her next sorry victim. She was standing at a clearing in the forest, where the trees gave way to patches of grass and rust-colored clay beneath the view of an ancient volcano. From the volcano's last fury, there remained a deposit of imposing, gray stones, each as big as herself, scattered about in a clustered formation that resembled one of Dr. Eggman's robot hordes.

They made for perfect target practice.

Sucking in a lungful of free air, the pink hedgehog lunged forth, leaping up and tucking her legs in as she front-flipped above another rock and brought her weapon down with both hands. A ghostly-white light burst from the impact, and the ground trembled with thunder, as the boulder ruptured into oblivion, causing several dead trees nearby to topple over in fright. Jumping onto her left foot, Amy took the hammer in her right hand and twirled about, crashing through yet another stone on her right flank.

She peered with emerald eyes through the fog of destruction, breathing heavily, as she kept the Piko Piko Hammer slanted across the front part of her body. Through the dust, she could see a cluster of three more doomed rocks, and the pink hedgehog charged at them, holding the weapon out like a spear and using it as a battering-ram to thrust through her center target with ferocious precision. With a quick snap of her wrist, she brought the mystical club up, then down, then up and down again, simultaneously obliterating the remaining stones on either side of herself in rapid succession.

In a move to escape the thick clouds in front, the pink hedgehog threw herself up once more, leaping backwards this time, into another flip that hurled her body several feet behind the carnage.

Amy raked the hammer across the ground as she landed and slid back, grinding herself to a halt as bits of dirt shot past. Her shoulders rose and fell steadily, as she watched a plume of charcoal-colored smoke slinking high into the blue sky, aware that her own heartbeats were becoming louder than the sound of falling debris. "_This is...tougher than I thought_," her mind uttered, "_but then again...I've gotta' admit that it feels pretty good to get out and move like this on my own free-will instead of at the mercy of Sonic's..._" As her head moved side to side, a smile filled her lips. "_And just look at the **work** that I'm doing! Sonic would have to be proud of me if he ever saw that my abilities with my Piko Piko Hammer have increased by **this** much!_" The pink hedgehog's eyes briskly shut as her teeth shone in a full-fledged grin, then snapped open as the expression fell. "_Which is why I can't stop now! For him, and for all of the other creatures on this planet,_" she began, bringing her left fist up to glance at it, "_as well as...for myself and my own awesomeness...I will not stop!_"

Rising from the ashes, Amy held the weapon low in her right hand and softly spoke, "I will get **better**." Her eyes snapped to the left, and she whipped the hammer from her right hand and sent it hurtling into another helpless rock. Displaying a slight smirk, she then brought her left palm up and summoned another Piko Piko Hammer into existence, spinning right to launch it at a second boulder on the opposite side of the field. The pink hedgehog lowered her head with a grin as the earthen shards settled down, then spoke slow with a whisper, "Okay, Amy, let's get deadly."

Flicking both wrists, Amy called up two Piko Piko Hammers at once, albeit slightly smaller than the previous ones, into each hand. She then sped towards the edge of the clearing and ran up the trunk of a nearby tree, catapulting herself into a back-flip as she crashed both weapons through another pair of foes and then slammed them together into a third in the middle. The pink hedgehog roared as she threw both arms out and propelled the hammers away at boulders on either side. Summoning forth a replacement duo of weapons, Amy soared high into the air and began to spin, creating a pink-walled cyclone that shot up and curled back down into a cluster of stones.

A series of cataclysmic eruptions quaked throughout the valley, as boulder after boulder thunder-cracked into pieces with each savage encounter from another one of her Piko-induced blasts.

"Whoa, lookout!" a blue hedgehog shouted, jumping to evade a falling tree. His feet could feel the vibrations up ahead as a deafening boom of bomb-like detonations echoed ever louder throughout his mind. In shock, his body was tossed from the ground, and a pressure-wave filled with blinding, white light raced through the forest, sending him crashing onto his back. "What in the world is she doing!?" the blue hedgehog exclaimed, lurching forward as he darted frantically to the edge of the clearing.

The pink hedgehog was lost in a frenzy, thrashing both arms about in madness. She turned and spun, wailing about, crushing rock into shards, into fragments and dust. Though the effort should have been exhausting, her heart pulled her on. "I won't stop!" she coughed, holding both eyes shut behind gritted teeth. "I won't stop! I won't stop! I won't stooop!"It was her time to shine, her time to sparkle! How dare anyone accuse her of being weak and defenseless, and worst of all, 'boring!' She was 'Amy Rose,' and the world would notice her! The pink hedgehog's olive orbs violently flashed open.

"Amyyy!" the blue hedgehog called, standing at the edge of the woods.

Her body instantly went stiff, left hand up, right hand down, each still gripping a hammer, as she stared at her companion with an ever-enlarging sweat-drop at the back of her head. Bits of broken rock continued to rain upon the ground. It was him! He was here! More than that, even, he was here to see her! Amy's knees began to quiver as the counterbalance on her left arm caused the pink hedgehog to tumble forward into the dirt. Dropping the hammers, Amy caught herself and breathed heavily, staring into her shadow as pockets of perspiration dripped forth onto the soil, turning amber into dull brown. Her eyes suddenly blinked and looked right as a pair of familiar red and white tennis shoes blurred into existence at her side.

"Amy," the blue hedgehog spoke.

Her head tilted up to him as she continued to pant. This was the moment for which she had hoped. For once, for what seemed like the first time that the young, rosette little hedgehog could remember, he had been the one to come and seek her out! Okay, so it was true, he had done so before, and had done so with regard to one special occasion in particular that would forever remain in her heart. Each time, however, was a cherished embrace, just to hear his cool voice and look upon his sweet face. Sonic could be anywhere in the world at any time he pleased, but by some miracle, here he was, and they were together again.

"That was...**crazy**..." he uttered, gazing down at her form. There was a lack of color in his face as his lower jaw sat ajar. Was it true, were his emerald eyes deceiving him, or had the cute, innocent Amy Rose just done what he'd saw?

Amy smiled, remembering part of the reason why she was out there in the first place, and of a collection of times in the past when he'd said that. "Yeah," she replied, closing her eyes briefly as her lips continued to curl, "Well, I guess I just...needed to get that out of my system today...and besides, the rocks can take it!" she said. She hopped up, placing both fists on her hips. "Or **not**, haha! I guess it's just the price of my abilities getting better, huh?"

"I'll say!" the blue hedgehog replied. His emerald eyes scanned the area, where a few, last, outlying clusters of stones wept over the sea of their fragmented families. The green irises of his stare widened as he spotted the various impact craters and what appeared to be charred patches of ground at the locations where her weapons had struck. "Amy, you really are becoming a force to be **reckoned** with when you have that hammer!" he said.

Amy's cheeks flushed ruby with warmth. "_Don't go soft!...Don't get mushy!...Not yet!_" she told herself. Veiling her gaze briskly once more, the pink hedgehog looked away, smiling. "Thank you, Sonic."

"Sure!" he replied, putting both fists on his hips, "I mean every word..."

Amy's eyes grew wide at the sincerity in his voice. "_You do!?_" her mind squealed. Just yesterday, she would've thrown herself at him for saying such a thing. It was as if he was testing her willpower! Yet, it would all be for nothing, the pink hedgehog knew, if she crumbled in now. Amy cleared her throat, placing both hands behind her back as she rocked on the heels of her shoes and briefly turned away from him to hide her reddening cheeks. "So, Sonic...Umm...What brings you out here?" she smiled.

"**You**, of course!" Sonic said.

Her orbs flashed with life. "**Really**!?" she chirped, cupping both hands together under her chin. A million colored hearts of varying sizes were unleashed in the back of her thoughts. _"He sought me out! He really, really did! Oh, I could just-...just..."_ Amy shook her head, swallowing as she turned to him. A wide smile and closed eyes faced her companion as a bead of sweat appeared on her brow. "I-I mean, wow. That's...nice."

"Well, sure!" Sonic beamed, "I mean, it's been a couple'a days since my last visit, and I'm **dying** for one of your home-cooked meals!" The blue hedgehog smirked, rubbing his stomach with his right hand.

Slumping over, the pink hedgehog sighed, releasing a hot, steady stream of air from her lungs. "Of course...you are..."

"Yeah! Then I read the note that you left on the door saying you'd be out training for awhile, so I figured I'd just...come see if I could find you! ...It really wasn't that hard with all of the commotion you were making," the blue hedgehog added.

Amy stared for a few moments at her indigo-colored companion, then folder both arms with a smirk. "Oh, I see. So you decided to come out here so you could force me to go home and cook for you, huh?"

Blinking vastly, the blue hedgehog took a step back. "What? N-No! I just," he swallowed, "wanted to come see how you were training..."

"Uh, huh," Amy replied, closing her eyes and turning from him.

"And I did!" Sonic went on. A drop of sweat appeared and rolled down the back of his own crown. "And it was awesome, Amy! You...uh...really know how to...put the 'smack' on," he said. His eyes blinked uneasily at the ground as a tingling sensation rattled throughout his body.

"Again, thank you," Amy replied, opening her eyes once more, "Well, I guess I'm all done out here for the day, anyway. So, I guess I could make you something if you want."

"Really!?" Sonic uttered, perking up, "Oh, Amy, that'd be the best. I've had nothing to eat but apples, nuts, berries, and whatever else I could find outside for the past few days!" He turned from her, motioning with his head. "Jump onto my back and let's go!"

* * *

_**You sure did put the 'smack' on, Amy! But will your food impress sonic as much as your hammering did? I guess it already has! Don't give up, girl! I think the blue guy likes you!**_

**xx**

**Please feel free to message me with all of your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns via PM or my email!**

**STAY TUNED for Chapter 3:_ Two for the Ride_ ...Coming SOON! ****_(Progress updates on my profile!)_**

**- Epic Awaken**

_**"Awaken Your Epic Dreams"**_


	3. Two for the Ride

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

Chapter 3: Two for the Ride

Sonic closed his eyes with delight, as he emptied another white bowl of warm beef and vegetable stew into his mouth. "Oh, Amy!" he uttered, setting the empty dish onto a stack of three others, "That was **excellent**! Ella sure showed you how to cook!" Rubbing his stomach with both hands, he leaned back in his seat. The blue hedgehog was in a wooden chair at a matching oak-wood table in Amy's kitchen. To his left, Amy herself stood in front of a cast-iron stove, pouring him yet another serving from a ladle out of a large, metal pot. Her workout gear was still on, but now accompanied by a white apron in front.

"I'm glad you like it!" Amy giggled, placing a spoon into the fresh bowl and handing it to him, "Now, go on."

"Well," Sonic began, plunging into the stew, "with his latest 'secret weapon' blown into bits, the brilliant 'Doctor of Doom' decided that it might work as a last-ditch effort to try and send his two robot **'henchmen'** after me!"

The pink hedgehog's eyelids sank as she slumped over, nearing her own seat. "Decoe and Bocoe? You've got to be joking..."

"I almost wish I **was**!" Sonic laughed, downing the last of his bowl, "But I guess, as usual, he just couldn't keep up with old Sonic, here."

"The 'Blue Blur'? Gee, who **could**?" Amy sighed, putting her chin into the palms of her hands as she leaned upon the table with a shuddering smile. She never grew tired of hearing his stories, of how her love was the 'invincible-hero' of their world. It was only the fact that she wasn't always a part of his adventures that bothered her. Each new tale presented so much to swoon over and daydream about, but it also left a void for which she yearned to fill. It was a drive within the young, rosette hedgehog, to be at her man's side through every one of his swiftly-made footsteps. She made good when she could, but for the smaller, spontaneous, day-to-day events, she was commonly reduced to cliffhangers in between his hunger-made visits. "_Oh, what it must feel like to be like him, so fast, so agile, so...**confident**_," she cooed. Blinking wide, the pink hedgehog suddenly sat up straight, clearing her throat.

"Yeah," the blue hedgehog spoke, putting his two pearl-colored gloves behind his head, "They'll all be out of commission for the next couple'a days...which is **good**, seeing as we're all supposed to have that surprise party for Knuckles in the park by Tails' house tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!" Amy uttered, realizing that she had been resting her chin in her right hand again. "Do you think that he'll actually show up?"

"Rouge will make him," Sonic smirked, looking into the timber grains of the ceiling, "She has that guy licked!"

The pink hedgehog smiled, glancing at the floor. "Yeah..." Rouge, what a wonder she was. The young jewel-thief could pretty much have anyone licked, if she wanted, it seemed. Thank god that bat hadn't managed to take the eye of Sonic. Still, for his part, Sonic always kept those emotions pretty locked up and hidden, and he was hard at times to figure out. A wave of ice-water suddenly flushed over the pink hedgehog's cheeks, and her right olive-orb began to twitch, as Amy's arms locked down straight. _"He'd **better** not like Rouge!_"

Sonic blinked, then again, then again, emerald eyes increasing in size with each successive clap. A shiver hit his spine, and it felt as if a group of three snakes had just slithered down his back. Not far from his memory, was the display of force she'd put on earlier. In all the time he'd known the enthralling, young girl, one dynamic had remained constant, she could be 'ice cream' or a 'grenade' in the flick of a switch. The roof of his mouth compressed against his tongue as he swallowed, followed by the appearance of a fist-sized droplet of sweat on his right temple. "Uh-hum," he began, chuckling through a broken cough, "Amy? Are you okay?"

"Huh!?" the pink hedgehog gasped, pupils shrinking away. The flames around each fist puffed into white wisps of smoke. "Oh!" she giggled, putting her right glove to her cheeks to hide the redness, "I'm fiiine..."

"Are you sure?" the blue hedgehog grinned, trying to laugh, "You looked a little **mad** there!"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm good, I'm good!" she replied, grinning herself with closed eyes. She held her right hand to her cheeks still as the left rapidly waved away his comment. "_Get control, Amy!_"

"It's not because I ate all the food, is it?" the blue hedgehog asked.

Amy's olive orbs flashed open as she watched him lift one of the empty bowls from the table, the bead of sweat finally dropping off of Sonic's crown.

"Awe, man! I'm sorry, Amy! It's just that your cooking's so **bomb**! I couldn't help myself after not tasting real food for so long..." Sonic said. He jumped up and moved towards the metal pot on the stove.

"Oh, no, it's not that..." Amy began. Her face went blank as she paused, eyelids flapping several times. "You really think that my cooking tastes **'bomb'**!?"

The blue hedgehog stopped squinting into the pot and turned around, dumbstruck. "Well...yeah!" The right ridge of his brow slowly rose. "Haven't I...told you before?"

"I-I don't know!" Amy shot back, glancing to the side. As her indigo-colored companion turned away to lift the container, her green eyes began to glitter and her hands clasped together beneath her chin. "_...But it melts my heart every time!_" A myriad of colored flowers danced with love throughout her mind. "_What would I have done without you, Ella?_" Amy thought. The ability to make good food had done more for the pink hedgehog's life than anyone would ever know. Not only did she have another asset to offer her friends, but there was now a new reason for Sonic to pay her regular visits! No more random passes down her street, but now a somewhat-consistent set of appearances were made by her love, along with extended interactions and compliments, just between the two of them, and all as a result of her ability to cook! It was one more way she could help him out, too. Even if she couldn't always be at his side, at the very least, she would be there to provide fuel for him when he needed it most, and in turn his presence lifted her soul. Their meals together even began to feel like a set of steady 'dates.'

"There you go, Amy. The last bowl of stew is aaall for you," Sonic remarked, placing the white dish in front of her.

The pink hedgehog leaned forward, until her broth-tinted gaze came into view, and she smiled though the ripples. A tear began to swell in Amy's right eye.

Hopping back into his chair, the blue hedgehog tossed his red and white shoes up onto the table and leaned back, scratching his head. "So, anyway, yeah...I guess we'll have to be over there by around lunchtime tomorrow...I just hope that they make something good!" Putting his right hand behind his crown, Sonic patted his abdomen with the left, staring off into space.

"And what are you going to bring him?" the pink hedgehog asked, delicately placing a spoonful onto her tongue.

"Huh?" Sonic blinked, shaking his head, "Oh, I already covered that, Ames." Leaning forward for a moment, the blue hedgehog laid his right elbow upon the table with a smirk. "Remember how Tails is building that special motion-tracking, network-thing that can lay a grid out around the area of the Master Emerald?" His eyes closed, and Sonic reeled back, placing his right hand behind his head again. "Who do you think got all'a the parts to put that sucker together from Eggman's junked bases?"

"I see," Amy uttered, rubbing her chin with her right finger.

"I think the real question is, what did **you **get him?" Sonic shot back, pointing and giving a wink.

The pink hedgehog's shoulders sank, along with her eyelids. "I'm making the **cake**, genius, don't you remember?"

"Oh..." the blue hedgehog said, face falling flat, "Right..."

"I mean, someone's gotta' supply one if we're gonna' have a proper party...especially if it's going to be a **birthday**-party!" Amy added, taking in another mouthful of soup.

Smirking, Sonic replied, "Yeah, you've sure got that right..." His right glove came up to his mouth in a yawn. "Well, hey, thanks for dinner, Ames. I guess I oughtta' be heading outta' here again," the blue hedgehog remarked.

"Already?" Amy frowned. Things were always too fast with Sonic. Then again, she'd realized, anything short of eternity with him would always feel that way.

"Yeah," Sonic yawned again, stretching his arms out as he rose to stand, "I've got a few different places that I wanna' visit before I make my way over to the party tomorrow, and I wanna' make sure that I've got time to see everything."

Growling, Amy leapt up herself, throwing both arms down at her sides. "_Why that ungrateful...How dare he-..._" Her eyes slowly widened as her expression grew soft, and the pink hedgehog let out a sigh. This would be it, the night that he didn't walk out on her, but she would walk out on him. It was time to be independent, time to be adventurous. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I have a few places that I want to explore myself before morning."

"You **do**!?" Sonic spat. His mouth flew open and he backed up in shock as Amy reached over and gathered the dishes.

"Uh huh," the pink hedgehog replied, smiling with a sealed gaze as she walked to the left of the stove and began to wash the bowls in a stainless steel-plated sink. "There's this really cool waterfall on the other side of the mountain where I hear a mystical, ancient cave exists, hiding the location to a site that has a natural deposit of power rings and **maybe** even the **chaos** emeralds!"

For a moment, Sonic remained stiff, then gradually deflated. Could this all be a gag? "Amyyy," the blue hedgehog uttered, eyelids drooping, "We all know that the story of that place is a myth! I've been to that site **myself**, and I didn't see anything 'mystical.'"

Growling beneath her breath again, Amy placed the last of the bowls in a rack next to the sink to dry. "Well, maybe that's true, Sonic, but you can't just visit a place once and write its importance off of the map! Who knows? Maybe there's a chaos emerald there or power rings right **now** and we won't even know it unless one of us pays the place a visit again...or Dr. Eggman gets a hold of it. Would you like **that**?"

"No, Amy," Sonic replied, frowning slightly, "but, I don't get it. You never seemed to care too much about gathering all of the chaos emeralds **before**, or power rings, and you certainly don't seem like the type who likes to venture out on your own at night...into the middle of the **wilderness**!"

With a swift scoff, she closed her eyes and moved past the blue hedgehog, removing a bottle of water from her wooden ice box near the door. "Well, maybe I'm not, but I am getting sick of spending my nights all alone and cooped up in this small, stuffy house!"

"What about **Cream**?" Sonic uttered. His mouth popped open again as he stared in disbelief at what she said next.

"Cream 'Shmeeme,'" the pink hedgehog spat back, "I go over her house like, every other day, Sonic. And she was just out here **yesterday**! I think that my life deserves to be about a little more than visiting two places on a weekly basis! Now come on, I gotta' lock up!" she ordered, tossing her apron onto a coat rack to the right of the door as she threw it open.

Sonic followed her outside as she closed and locked the door to her house behind them. This wasn't Amy at all, was it? Granted, the blue hedgehog knew, the girl could get a little 'out-there' at times, but could she really be insisting that she planned to strike out into the unknown all on her own? Girls didn't do that! Most beings besides himself didn't do that! How could she hope to feel safe? It wasn't that she wasn't strong, no, he knew far well that she could wreak havoc if someone got her mad, but what if something happened? She was too sweet and pretty to be out all alone. 'Pretty'? Well, someone might think so, and then what would happen? No, he realized that he just couldn't rest easy knowing she'd be out there that night, in the dark, all alone. The sky was tangerine-orange, and the sun was sinking low as it kissed the mountaintops in the distance. Coolness had replaced the day's humidity, and would've been a welcome comfort if not for the fact that it signaled the ending of light. "But, Amy! It can be...**dangerous** out here by yourself at night...especially if you leave the village!" There was a noticeable sweat drop on the left side of the blue hedgehog's brow.

"So, what," the pink hedgehog retorted. She leaned down behind her lawn-swing and picked up a brown, leather bag. "You let Tails fly around in his airplane all of the **time**, and I've helped you fight Eggman plenty of times before! I can take care of **myself**!"

"Err," Sonic mumbled, swallowing hard, "This is different, Amy!"

"I'm going, Sonic," she said, turning from him as she started off down the walkway towards the end of her yard. "So you can either co- I...I mean. I'll see you tomorrow." Her eyes went wide as a familiar hand grabbed her arm.

Sonic stared at her intently as she slowly turned around. "No, Amy. I'm coming with you."

* * *

**_Ah, and so the adventure beings! Is it just me or does Sonic seem a little bit protective of Amy? I wonder if there's a real reason behind this, you know, besides his usual concern for the well-being of others...Guess we'll find out! STAY TUNED, Folks!_**

**xx**

**Please feel free to message me with all of your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns via PM or my email!**

**STAY TUNED for Chapter 4: An Unveiling of Truths ****...Coming SOON! ****_(Progress updates on my profile!)_**

**- Epic Awaken**

_**"Awaken Your Epic Dreams"**_


	4. An Unveiling of Truths

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

Chapter 4: An Unveiling of Truths

"Okay, we're here!" the blue hedgehog proclaimed, skidding to a halt at the end of the tree line.

Amy gazed over his right shoulder and gasped. They were standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking a sparkling pool of water that was alive with the stars and moonlight. Like a mirror, it reflected the heavens, bordered at its sides by an almost static white mist that lingered as if timeless. To the right, a cascade of rain dropped from their level, thirty feet down or more, into the pond below. It glowed a ghostly blue from the moon and the mist, shining with an aura that was more beautiful than even the mystical chaos emeralds. Beyond, out in front, was the horizon, a valley of trees beneath the ledge of the watering hole that reached onward, leaves turquoise in color from the midnight illumination, meeting a cloudless view of space. It was so tranquil, so vivid, that it took her breath away.

"You can get off now," Sonic said.

"Huh? Oh!" Amy replied, releasing her grip and dropping off from his back, "So, this is 'Quartz Cove,' huh?"

"Yep, the one and **only**, I guess," the blue hedgehog uttered.

The pink hedgehog's eyelids fell as she sighed and cupped both hands together. "It sure is roma- I mean...It sure is **mysterious**!"

"Yeah, mysteriously-**boring**..." Sonic replied, "Come on!"

Amy followed him to the left and down a gradual slope on the side of the cliff that led to a sandy beach at the banks of the pond. It was a cool evening, with fresh dew collected on the grass that was occupied by sporadically-placed, singing crickets. Everything appeared to be going exactly according to plan, thus far. To date, this little trip combined with dinner was becoming the longest stretch of time that two strong-willed, little hedgehogs had ever spent together, at least just between themselves. Amy Rose soaked in the moments, but couldn't help but admit that she was actually intrigued by what they'd possibly discover as well. "So, are you saying that you've seen something out here?" she asked.

"Of course! Why else would I bother bringing you out!?" Sonic snapped.

A flame burst into Amy's eyes. "Hmph! I would've come anyway, Sonic!" the pink hedgehog growled. Amy folded her arms, lips curving down. "_He really can be a **brat** sometimes!_"

"Yeah," Sonic chuckled, "and probably have gotten **lost**!" They made their way around the bank and towards the waterfall, where a section of land wrapped behind it. Disappearing through the liquid wall of rain, the two hedgehogs came to the mouth of a small cave that went several feet back into the base of the cliff. It was a shallow impression into the dirt, really, and only a slight bit taller than they were, yet the cement-like interior was made in a way that appeared so straight and even that the cavern almost seemed intentional. Though it was tucked behind the waterfall, the moon was bright that night, and it was just enough so that the basic layout of the spot could be seen.

"Hey, there's something!" Amy said, pointing to a two-foot tall amber stone that jetted up from the dirt floor. It was positioned at the center-back of the cave and covered with what appeared to be a pattern of imprints. She quickly removed a pink flashlight from her leather bag and turned it on.

"Yeah, there's that dumb rock again," Sonic remarked, folding both arms. What was he really doing out here? Entertaining this girl with a ride and his presence was taking away from the real mission that he had to accomplish. "_Perhaps I could leave her here now,_" his mind wandered. As he imagined both feet turning to go, his chest pulled his body in the opposite direction, towards her, the petite, delicate, little, spunky, rosette hedgehog. A small smirk spread across his face. "Why don't you go ahead and smash **that **with your big hammer?"

"There seems to be inscriptions on it," the pink hedgehog uttered, plopping down to her knees in front of the object, "Any idea what they say?"

"Nah. It's just some old-fashioned nonsense about the rings and a tribe or something that once lived here, but I've tried looking for clues as to anything else and the evidence is pretty solid. It's just an old rock," Sonic replied. He was beginning to feel like an underpaid tour guide.

"Hmm. I don't knooow," Amy mumbled, putting a finger to her lips. She took the flashlight in her left hand and brushed off the stone with her right. As the pink hedgehog removed several loose strands of sun-colored moss from the top portion of the stone, her eyes began to grow. Etched into the face of the rock was one, hollow circle with a depiction of the seven chaos emeralds in orbit around it, the last in the center. Below that, she spotted another emblem, this one consisting of a sphere in the middle of a diamond with two, flame-like teardrops coming out of the top and bottom, and two triangular protrusions in the head. The pink hedgehog's mouth fell. "_There's just no **way** that this could be nothing!_"

"Man, I can't believe I let you drag me out here just for this," Sonic said.

Amy's olive orbs erupted as she snarled and jumped up to face him. He could act arrogant for the rest of the night if he liked, but she wasn't going to stand for this another second. "Look, Sonic, I didn't **ask **you to come out here with me tonight! I didn't, okay!?" she spat. Patches of glistening moisture began to gather at the base of her emerald eyes, followed by a sharp heave that jolted her shoulders. "I just wanted to get out because you always leave me at home all **alone**! I'm sorry that I'm not as exciting as you want me to be, I **am**, okay!? But I don't want to be a burden to your ways anymore, so just go on without me if it makes you happy!"

A shattering sensation rattled the blue hedgehog's body and echoed within his ears. His arms dropped to his sides as the smirk quickly fell.

"I just want you to be happy, Sonic!" the pink hedgehog sobbed, turning from him as she covered her face, "That's all I ever want!"

"Amyyy," Sonic uttered, frowning now as he took a step forward.

Sniffling, the pink hedgehog suddenly threw her right hand out and summoned a hammer. "You stupid rock!" she growled. Amy lifted the weapon and leapt up, bringing her mystical club down onto the stone with such force that a wave of gravel and sand poured from the ceiling above.

Sonic fell onto his back and instantly recoiled in shock as he watched the pink hedgehog scream and disappear into a hole that the stone had vanished down into. "**Amyyy**!" he shouted, diving in after her. He plummeted through the opening head-first, squinting hard into the cavern to catch sight of the pink hedgehog. The rigidity of his face sank back as he neared the bottom of the pit, and the blue hedgehog's emerald orbs became wide with life. Glowing gold light filled his gaze, as Sonic hit the floor of the lower cave in a cloud of dust and found himself in a room filled to the brim with dozens of shining, yellow power rings.

* * *

"So, what was that about this being a complete and total waste of your time?" Amy asked, closing the lid of her leather bag. The golden light faded as she clipped the top shut.

Sonic stood behind her, just a few feet from the waterfall, arms folded, lips curving upward. "I've gotta' admit, Amy, you were right! There really **was** something here!" Despite having checked the spot himself once before, the blue hedgehog had come up completely empty-handed. Perhaps Amy had a point after all. Perhaps speeding through life was not always the greatest way to go. Perhaps there were things, in his life, that deserved a little more attention. At the very least, he had to come clean, he was impressed, and something else, too.

Smiling herself with closed eyes, the pink hedgehog replied, "An untouched deposit of power rings, thank you very much! And to think, these things would've been sitting here **forever **if we'd have decided not to come here tonight!" Just a short while ago, she had been in a pit, both literally and emotionally, the soul-crushing words of her beloved casting doubt upon the entire trip, as well as her self-worth. Now, however, she was on top of the world. With a bag full to ready to burst with power rings, she not only felt adventurous, she felt successful as well. It may have been by sheer luck, but the moment smelt like victory.

"Yeah," the blue hedgehog mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"These will come in handy the next time Dr. Egg-Head strikes!" the pink hedgehog smirked, patting the bag and turning to him.

The two beings stared at each other for several minutes, emerald eyes sparking and bodies illuminated by the paleness of the moonlight. Crickets continued to chirp all around, but other than that, the scene remained calm, no wind, no movement, no changes in the shadows cast by trees. It was as if each was a dream in the other's mind. Swallowing, the blue hedgehog finally spoke, "Listen, Amy, about what I...said earlier," Sonic began, orbs darting to the side.

"Yes?" Amy beamed, cupping both hands together. There was a glint in her eyes as if they had just reflected the path of a shooting star.

"I-I didn't mean it the way I said...I mean," he swallowed. A steady, even tone rolled out from his throat as the blue hedgehog's sight came to rest on hers, and an electricity met the two, as their gaze became connected by a mutual, emotionally-charged current. "...You'll **never **be a 'waste' of my time," he whispered.

An owl hooted in the distance, echoing the serene isolation of the woods.

The pink hedgehog's eyes doubled as she stared back at him and noticed the waves of light that were forming on the surface of his emerald orbs, made by waves of water as his gaze grew slightly wet. "Sonic," she whispered, smiling.

"Yes?" he replied, staring her down.

Amy closed her olive eyes and turned right, expanding her chest rhythmically, then releasing a steady sigh. "I think that the only way that you could ever truly hurt me is if you left my life for good, okay?"

He stared with a blank expression as she looked back to him. He'd never meant to hurt her. He never meant to hurt anyone, but really, it was a conviction that seemed as solid as stone and as clear as the sun. He **never** meant to hurt **her**. Wait, how did she know that was what he was worried about? It didn't matter, he decided. "I already told you," he swallowed, "that I would never do that again..." The blue hedgehog's lips crept up towards the sky. "_And I was never going to leave you tonight, **either**_," he thought.

"I know," Amy smiled, unleashing a second shallow breath, "and that's why you don't have to worry...because...I'll..." The expression dropped as she turned around fully from him. She had tried to be reserved, but the words were too strong to hold back, and so she let them trail off from her tongue in a feather-kissed passing of air. "...always...**love** you."

Sonic's eyes fell to the ground and his lips curled a tiny bit more. He was aware of a steady warmth increasing on his cheeks that he'd recalled before, but never in quite such a soothing way. "_Amy_," he thought. His head snapped up. "Hey, w-what are you gonna' do now?" he asked.

The pink hedgehog gazed up at the stars and exhaled, allowing for thoughts to go by. "Honestly, Sonic? I don't know. I'm tired of knowing what'll happen every day, every tomorrow. Sure, there are certain things in my life that," swallowing hard, she blinked back the tears, "that I wish would remain constant and forever...but..." Amy's voice dissipated for a moment as she pivoted halfway to face him again. "I need a little excitement in my life as well."

Their breathing was shallow, almost nonexistent, as the two shared another interlude between their difficult words.

"Perhaps that's the thing that I would really like to remain the most constant of **all**, the **adventure**!" Amy finished. Her cheeks flushed red as she smiled wider and turned to look at the ground. "I'm not ready for this day to end, not now, not ever."

"_Ah-ugh! What **is** this!? What is it with her!?_" the blue hedgehog thought, observing the sheen of space-light upon the rosette spikes of her hair, "_Man, I can't tell if I'm getting **sick** right now or **enjoying** this! It feels like **both**!_" The twisting muscles in his stomach were a bliss and a burden, as an adrenaline-rush coursed throughout his arms and legs, but mostly his legs. "Well, good!" Sonic replied, crossing both arms with a grin, "Because I don't really feel like taking you home yet!"

"Oh? What makes you think I need your help anyway?" the pink hedgehog shot back, smirking as she crossed her own arms.

Grinning sheepishly, the blue hedgehog rubbed the back of his head. "Well, what I mean is, it'll take you forever to travel back the way we came. You'd be out until **morning**! But with me, we could make the trip in less than ten minutes! So...maybe if you don't mind, I'll take you out on a little adventure with me to where I was planning to go **first**, and then, when we're done with **that**, I can get you home in time so that you can get yourself ready to go to Knuckles' party!"

Amy smiled and turned to face him fully now. "Hmm. What's wrong with the way I look now?" she asked, thrusting her right hip out and placing a fist upon it.

Two sweat drops suddenly formed upon the blue hedgehog's brow as he swallowed, eyes widening. "Uh...Oh! N-Nothing! I just..."

"It's okay," the pink hedgehog giggled, "I know we've been out running all day and it's not exactly formal attire to go to a party now, is it?"

Another sweat drop formed as the blue hedgehog strained to smile.

"Okay, Sonic," Amy said, smirking wide as her eyes flashed with life, "You're on!"

* * *

_**Does that right there count as Sonic's version of a date? Guess we'll find out! STAY TUNED, Folks! ...It'll only get better.**_

**xx**

**Please feel free to message me with all of your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns via PM or my email!**

**STAY TUNED for Chapter 5: _A Night Not of Waste_ ...Premiering Sunday, September 15th at 9:00p.m. EST! **

**- Epic Awaken**

_**"Awaken Your Epic Dreams"**_


	5. A Night Not of Waste

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

Chapter 5: A Night Not of Waste

"_Gotta' make this in double-time, Sonic!_" the blue hedgehog thought, hurling himself and Amy forward along the woodland trails in the night. With each new step, he could feel the faintest of tugs from the arms over his shoulders, and while he'd had many passengers before, he couldn't help but take notice every now and again with a smile. Traveling with another hedgehog, Amy, for the sake of adventure, and for no other purpose, no battle, no rescue, was something he just couldn't recall ever doing, savor a few trips with Tails. This, though, was different, dashing about through the night, but the experience wasn't his own, it was shared, and somehow, the blue hedgehog realized, it gave the entire expedition so much more meaning. Every twist, every turn, were no longer his own, but between him and another, and the thought of being able to recall it all with someone brought a fresh sense of warmth to his soul. "You still with me, Amy!?" he called.

The pink hedgehog gave him a squeeze. "Always, Sonic!"

The hot sensation in his cheeks returned as they made their way to the end of the trail and burst into a clearing. Sonic paused for a moment, lips curling upward at the sight of sparkling grass that shown in waves of light from the moon as the wind blew across it.

"It's beautiful..." Amy uttered.

The blue hedgehog let out a shallow sigh. "Yeah..." Suddenly, his eyes perked up. "Hey, if you think that's something, just **wait** until you get a load'a **this**!" he said, barreling forward towards the crest of a hill at the far end of the field.

As they made it towards the spot where the night sky met the land, the pink hedgehog's eyes opened up. They were on top of a ridge now, overlooking an expansive desert valley below, filled with multiple plateaus that stretched out into the distance. On the floor of the valley, a winding stream snaked along, glittering in the light from the moon and stars. Shadows cast by this light pointed towards them, three times as big as the objects that they each represented. It was a massive stretch of heaven and earth, as if the entire universe was opened up before them. Amy blinked at the moisture in her emerald orbs and bit back on her lower lip. "_I know I said to Cream that I'd play it cool and hold off on the emotions, but...I just...can't **do** that right now!_" her mind quivered. In a slow, steady move, she gradually scooted up, pressing the left side of her cheek against the right side of his face in a gentle nuzzle. "You're right..." she whispered, "This is **breathtaking**..."

Sonic blinked wide, then looked down with a smile. As his eyes returned to the view, they, too, began to water. "Yeah," he swallowed, "Eggman has an old base out here that I heard may have a fake chaos emerald hidden within it...I...figured that I would come see...just in case those that told me were right. It'd be...something to use against him in the future when he decides to attack again, you know?"

Amy's gaze drifted down towards the bottom of one of the plateaus, where she could see a metallic, dome-shaped building with an obvious hole in the side that appeared to have been blown out from within.

"You're right, though. It is sort of special to be out here again. I haven't...seen this place in some time...It's...kind of like...taking a step into the past," the blue hedgehog uttered.

"Was it a good past, Sonic?" the pink hedgehog asked.

Sonic's eyes met the ground as he paused, and a thousand or more battles flashed through his mind. "Let's just say that I've been through a lot," he whispered.

* * *

"So, where is this fake chaos emerald supposed to **be** anyway?" Amy asked, shining her flashlight about. They continued on through the various rooms of the old lab, over bits of broken glass, tangled wires, and cracked and shattered machinery, towards the center of the complex.

"If I know Eggman, he's probably hidden the thing right in the most obvious spot of all, in the main **power** reactor!" Sonic replied. The two hedgehogs quickly found themselves in a circular room with a partial ceiling, the right side having been the part which was blown out from within. The hole allowed enough natural light into the building for them both to see as Sonic approached a metallic cylinder in the middle of the room.

"Wow," Amy uttered, tilting her beam towards the opening. Four-inch thick segments of metal sat, curled back like the top of a tuna can. "_When did **that** battle take place?_" she wondered. The pink hedgehog put away her flashlight and walked up to him.

"Okay, Ames. Here goes nothing," the blue hedgehog said. He reached over and grabbed onto a handle at the top of the cylinder. Pulling it up, he was greeted by a high-pitched screeching sound and the sight of an alloy tube attached to the handle with several empty, emerald-shaped slots. Olive orbs fluttered at the unoccupied spaces. With a sigh, the blue hedgehog closed his eyes briefly and smiled. "Well, I guess that the emeralds are no longer here," he chuckled, closing the lid on the cylinder once again. He turned to her, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "...Which means, that the whole darn trip **out** here was just a big waste of **time**!"

Amy blinked wide, then put both fists on her hips with a smirk. "Don't say that, Sonic. I've never been **out** here before!" She looked up and about at the contoured steel skeleton of the dome. Broken tubes of glass lay in rows of rectangular boxes across the ceiling, and the pink hedgehog imagined the bright, fluorescent beams, thinking of how things must have looked while they were still on. It was tied to him, somehow, and as a blue blur of visions danced through her thoughts, Amy realized that was all she really cared about. Her lips curled up at the thought of him, ducking, dodging, darting, and jumping throughout the complex, all to the sound of Eggman's protests.

"But there's so many better places that I could have taken you!" Sonic began. His eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard, a small sweat drop forming on his head. "I-I mean...We could have even gone **home**!"

A frown slapped her face at the sound of those words. "I didn't **want** to go home, **remember**?" Amy shot back, crossing both arms. "And besides, Sonic..." she began, walking up closer. She placed both hands on his shoulders and stared into his eyes. "Like you said to me, you'll **never**...be a 'waste' of **my **time."

The blue hedgehog smiled back, allowing a soft sigh to escape his lungs.

Amy's emerald orbs shot open as her own sweat drop formed at the top of her crown. "H-Hey, can we go outside again?" she asked, releasing him and stepping away. "This place is kind of messy..."

Sonic laughed lightly, looking away. "Yeah! Come on..."

* * *

The pink hedgehog tapped the heels of her shoes against the gray-colored stone that she sat upon at the edge of the desert riverbank. Above, the heavens had remained cloudless and alive with the glittering glow of billions of stars. It was too much at once, wasn't it? To be here alone with him in the most intimate of times, in the most isolated of places in all of their world? "_I can't believe just a few hours ago I was smashing rocks in a field all by **myself**!_" A pair of white gloves balled-up in front of her face, and Amy pivoted left to view him through the fog of a tear-laden stare. "_It's like I'm his new little adventure-buddy!_" her mind squeaked.

"Hmm," Sonic mumbled, rubbing his chin with his right index finger. Emerald orbs drew from the dirt to the sky. "Something doesn't add up. I swore I blew that hole into the **west** side of the compound..." Orbs snapping open, he put a hand over his crown. "I even recall the **headache** I got!" He envisioned himself spinning like a buzz-saw and exploding through the top of the Eggman base in a violent eruption of cobalt-colored light. Crashing out from the building, his body went into the side of the plateau that it had been built up against, detonating a combustion of earth and rocks that sent a crack into the edge of the cliff and caused the tip to crumble off and drop through the hole in the mad scientists' lair. It was this event that had crushed Eggman and allowed the blue hero to make his escape. "Huh!?" Sonic gasped, a glint of white flickering before his eyes. He jerked back to view the structure. Not only was the opening facing the other direction, east into the free air, but the cliff above also appeared to be completely intact. The blue hedgehog's jaw dangled loose as a sweat drop formed on the left side of his brow. "I-I must be getting my stories mixed up!" Hooking his head right, he uttered, "Amy, do y-"

She was sitting, face held low, hands in her lap, as ribbons of tears streaked down her cheeks.

"Ah-" the blue hedgehog spoke. His irises flashed and his right glove rose in a tremble. "**Ames**?"

"**Huh**!?" she chirped, blinking wide as her back went straight. Her emerald orbs came to view him, and then snapped shut, turning away. "Oh...Hey," she whispered, lips curving up.

"Are you alright? What's the matter?" Sonic frowned, walking over as he placed his right arm around her.

"Nothing's the **matter**, Sonic," Amy replied, glancing at him for a second with a minute smile. She leaned away and drew wet eyes across the top of her right shoulder.

"Are you sure?" he spoke lightly, leaning in. The crest of his own eyes drooped low as he strained to return her smile, and a compression-like feeling awoke in his abdomen.

"Sonic, I'm a **girl**!" Amy snapped, jerking her head towards the sky as tears dropped into her lap.

The blue hedgehog's limbs went stiff, as the clanging of an iron gate closing shut rattled inside of his brain. "I..." he began, extending his throat as he pushed to respond, "I know...that," he finished. Emerald orbs sank slowly away. "_Heh..__Boy, do I ever!_" Swallowing, the indigo-hued hero let his chest in and out with a sigh. His eyes trailed the ground as he leaned upon the rock. "So..." he began. An expanding drop of sweat formed at the back of his head. "Did you have fun tonight?" he asked.

Their two eyes met with familiar volts of life, emerald energy at work between them.

Amy's lips began to quake, as the tears overflowed their banks again.

He could tell what was about to happen next. He was, after all, the fastest runner in the land, yet he welcomed the blow as the pink hedgehog leapt off the rock and tackled him to the ground in a vice-like embrace.

"Oh, **Sonic**!" she cried, "I had a **wonderful** time!" Rubbing her face into his chest, Amy's eyes suddenly shot open, flicking bits of moisture about. With a ruby-tinted blush, the pink hedgehog let out a laugh and sat up on her knees. "Heh...S-Sorry about that, Sonic," she uttered, brushing him off and clasping both hands together. She pursed her lips, looking quickly away. "I...got a little carried away there..."

Sitting up with an open jaw, Sonic's mind drew a blank. "_Did she just...Did she just...**apologize**...for giving me a **hug**!?_" he thought. His emerald orbs shrank away as a grouping of three beads of variously-sized perspiration formed upon the top of his crown.

"I'm really glad that you took me with you tonight," she whispered. Her cheeks remained flush as the pink hedgehog rocked back and forth with eyes held shut.

The blue hedgehog's orbs fluttered twice, and he grinned sheepishly, massaging the back of his head with his right glove. "Hey! What can I say? It's been...good having you along!" he swallowed. He jumped off the ground, turning as he patted the center of his back. "Now come on..." he smiled, "We'll take the **long** way home!"

* * *

******__****Oh, they are just aching for it, aren't they!? STAY TUNED, Folks! Something's going to have to give...**

**xx**

**Please feel free to message me with all of your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns via PM or my email!**

**STAY TUNED for Chapter 6: _A Collection of Thoughts_****...Premiering Sunday, September 22nd at 9:00p.m. EST! (Sneak Preview on Wednesday, September 18th at 9:00p.m. EST!)_  
_**

**- Epic Awaken**

_**"Awaken Your Epic Dreams"**_


	6. PREVIEW: A Collection of Thoughts

**Adventures Through Emerald Eyes**

**_PREVIEW EXCERPT_**

Chapter 6: A Collection of Thoughts

A pearl-tinted daisy sat in gold via a stray streak of light that emanated from the overhead sun as it slipped its way through clustered pillars of coffee-colored bark. Spotted by a tan and tangerine butterfly, the petal-filled present became center in the circle of life, as nearby, sat a charcoal-legged spider, patiently biding its time. The predator and the bait sat in wait, basking in light rays that were dancing from the movements of skyward leaves. Swooping up above the tall grass at the sides of a dirt trail, the soft-winged adventurer made its decent.

Whoosh, and the butterfly spiraled away, corkscrewing into eternity.

"Okay!" the pink hedgehog panted, leaping over the trunk of a fallen tree, "I'm-...I'm almost there!" With each heave of her shoulders, Amy Rose watched the light-green of the sun-soaked field pierce through the chestnut-brown stalks of the forest that much more. She was nearing the end of the woods with each new bound. "Gosh, I bet I'd look pretty pathetic if Sonic were to catch me trying to run right now!" she laughed, funneling in more air. With a forced swallow, the pink hedgehog jerked her head around towards the leaf-encased trail. "_Nope. Nothing,_" she thought. Emerald eyes shot wide as the tip of the scarlet sandal on her right foot clipped a stone, knocking her movements off balance. "Oh, **no**!" Amy yelped, landing hard on her left foot. Sliding her leg out, the pink hedgehog held the opposite up behind her back and skidded to a halt in a hailstorm of gray, black, and brown pebbles.

Her bare shoulders rose and fell steadily as she stood at the edge of a creek bed dressed in a red swim-top, matching miniskirt, cardinal-colored flip-flops, and her usual ruby headband and gold-colored bracelets. Quivering in her hands was a jade-tinted pastry in the shape of a diamond, held in place by a smoke-colored, circular base. "Heh!...Heh!...For a second there, I thought I'd **lost** you!" the pink hedgehog chuckled. Her emerald-stare rose towards the olive-tinted canopy above as the echo of a woodpecker rang in the distance. "_I don't know __**how**__ I'd be able to show my face at that party if I lost Knuckles' __**cake**!_" her mind uttered. She could see the ruby-colored echidna, crossing both arms with a scowl.

"Nice goin'!" the red brute would say.

Behind Knuckles, Amy envisioned Rouge shake her own head with closed eyes, then Cream, Cheese, and Tails sigh at the ground with wide orbs and ever-deepening frowns. The worst, came last, though, as her blue-eyed beloved stared into her soul with a shallow look of disappointment.

Swallowing hard, the pink hedgehog blinked, returning to the present. Amy suddenly shook her head with a laugh. "That **won't** happen!" she said. Emerald eyes narrowed, as she peered through the forest and made-out the start of the clearing at the path's end, just a hundred feet away. Her chin lowered gradually, as Amy's lips locked together tight. "Now," the pink hedgehog declared, deepening her voice, "Let's get you to that party."

* * *

_**Do it Amy! We all know you can deliver! Ready to see some familiar faces, including Tails, Knuckles, Cream, Cheese, Rouge, Sonic, and maybe even...Eggman!? (Well, he'll at least come up in conversation I'm sure.) Then STAY TUNED for the full-length premiere, coming this Sunday!**_

**xx**

**Please feel free to message me with all of your comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns via PM or my email!**

**STAY TUNED for**** Chapter 6****: ****_A Collection of Thoughts_****...Premiering Sunday, September 22nd at 9:00p.m. EST! **

**- Epic Awaken**

_**"Awaken Your Epic Dreams"**_


End file.
